MEDIA TITLE WILL BE WON BY SOMEONE DIFFERENT

There will definitely be a new champion of the Southeast Missourian Weekly Media Grid Picks this year.

Brad Palmer, who won the past two titles while working for KZIM, is not competing this year as he is no longer officially employed by the local radio station. However, Palmer will still broadcast all the Cape Central football games on KZIM this season.

With the astute Palmer out of the mix, there should be a hot battle for the championship among the six panel members, two of them newcomers.

Returning from last season are Southeast Missourian sports writer Marty Mishow; Southeast Missourian sports editor Jeff Breer; Mike Legg, the voice of the Southeast Missouri State University Indians on K103; and KFVS sports director Steve Sotak.

Mishow finished second last season with a 76-24 record, four games behind Palmer. Breer and Legg tied for third at 74-26 while Sotak tied for fifth -- or last -- at 71-29.

Joining the fray this year are Southeast Missourian sports writer Bob Miller and Erik Sean, who broadcasts a variety of sports on both KZIM and KGIR and is the voice of the Scott City Rams.

Miller and Sean, while rookies in the Weekly Media Grid Picks, figure to be highly competitive because they follow the local football scene closely, as do all the other panel members.

It should be quite a season.